Photo credit: Mstyslav Chernov/Wikimedia Commons

Addressing the causes of forced migration

Forced displacement is one of the defining global issues of our time. Worldwide, over 65 million people are displaced from their homes due to conflict, food insecurity, climate change and other threats. Current responses to the ‘migration crisis’ risk fuelling the problem. Destination countries for refugees and migrants are struggling with tensions and need support to respond in a way that deals fairly and effectively with different communities’ needs. Instead, international support is focused on increasing states’ capacities to deal with displacement and migration forcefully, rather than addressing the underlying drivers of conflict.

Our work

Saferworld works in conflict-affected regions to address the underlying factors that drive people from their homes. We work with communities to promote inclusive and transparent responses to issues such as lack of security, disputes, and social and political marginalisation – all of which are inherently political with the potential to cause conflict and violence.

We call for a shift away from short-term, over-securitised measures to control migration that enhance the capacity of security forces in refugee source and transit countries, and risk trapping displaced people in dangerous contexts. We advocate for governments and international organisations to adopt responses to forced displacement and migration that identify the political, social and economic factors underpinning forced migration and to work with communities to address them.